Troubles With A Neighbor
by Abby -WCD
Summary: When Harry was 8, Mrs. Figg moved out of the neighbourhood. One of her friends named Severus Snape moved in to continue what she was doing. Will Snape be able to protect the Boy-Who-Lived from a certain killer? Chapter 2 UP! Enter Remus and...Voldemort.
1. Chapter 1

N/A: This fic is a back-in-time story when Harry was only 8. His uncle is rather rash when Harry makes maybe one mistake and a mysterious stranger moves in after Mrs. Figg moved out. Hope you like it! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: All JK Rowling's, not mine! As if I could ever think up of Harry Potter!  
  
Rating: PG-13 for now. Just want to be safe!  
  
Story Time! ^_^  
  
  
  
Troubles with A Neighbor  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Harry sat in his cupboard with his eyes closed. It was just a week ago that Mrs. Figg had moved away and that lead to one thing. Where would he go if the Dursley's wanted to leave him somewhere? That was the first thing that came to the mind of Vernon Dursley.  
  
"So now where are we going to leave that little brat?!" Harry's uncle was furious. To Harry's option, he always was. And if his uncle was mad, Harry was hurt.  
  
For his uncle whipped him whenever he was mad.  
  
"Honey, it will be okay. I was told by Mrs. Figg that a man she knew was moving into the house," Harry's aunt and uncle were having a conversation outside of his cupboard. That was a bad thing for Harry.  
  
"It was that little brat's fault, wasn't it?" Vernon kicked the cupboard door when he yelled. Harry's eyes snapped opened.  
  
"No, she said-"  
  
"I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF HIM!" That was it. Harry's uncle threw the cupboard door open and jerked Harry out. Harry whimpered when his uncle threw him onto the floor.  
  
"What, can't handle a little pain? What about this?" His uncle had taken off the belt he was wearing and slapped Harry on his back. His shirt tore. Harry cried out in pain.  
  
Pentunia walked out of the room as Vernon started to whip Harry again. Harry's Cousin Dudley walked in and started to watch with amusement.  
  
"Watch and learn son, watch and learn." Harry's uncle lifted his belt to give his last whip. Harry stayed still.  
  
It came down full force.  
  
Right onto Harry's face.  
  
Darkness.  
  
***~***  
  
  
  
"Are you sure Severus?" A pause, " Okay, we will drop him off in a minute. Thank you very much," Harry's aunt hung up the phone and turned to him.  
  
"You just better stick with the story about you trying to ride Dudley's bike or your uncle will slap you silly. Got it?" Harry nodded quickly.  
  
"Good. Now, lets go," his aunt grabbed her coat and walked out the door. Harry followed. Outside Harry stayed behind his aunt, walking slowly as he did. He didn't want to be stuck with the Dursleys all day but he didn't want to be with a stranger either.  
  
His aunt opened the car and got into the driver's seat. Harry jumped into the back seat carefully remembering the incident when he tried to sit in the front seat. Harry didn't even have enough time to put on his seat belt before his aunt pulled the car onto the street.  
  
"When you go over there you are required to do whatever Severus tells you to do. Got it?"  
  
"Yes Aunt Petunia, I got it."  
  
"Good," she turned onto a driveway and opened her door. Harry slowly got out. His aunt grabbed him by his hand and pulled him towards the door. Before she could knock the door flew open.  
  
"Hello Severus."  
  
The man in the doorway had straight, black hair that went down to his shoulders. His face was flat with the exception of his nose. He wore baggy blue jeans and a loose black shirt.  
  
"Welcome Petunia," His voice was higher-pitched than Harry's uncle's yells but lower-pitched than Dudley's squeals.  
  
"I will be able to pick him up by nine. Thanks again," she pushed Harry forward into the house. Severus glared down at him and ground his teeth. Harry gulped.  
  
"Okay, I hope you have a good time," he continued to look down at Harry as he spoke. Petunia only nodded and walked back to the car and drove away as quickly as possible.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for; an invitation?" Severus grabbed him by his hand and pulled him into the living room. Harry noticed that his grip was tight.  
  
"What should I call you, sir?" Harry tried to speak loudly but this man spooked him. The sooner he got out, the better.  
  
"Snape."  
  
"Okay Mr. Snape,"  
  
"No, just Snape."  
  
"Okay, Snape."  
  
Snape let go at Harry and went into the kitchen. Harry stood still not knowing what to do.  
  
"So, stealing your cousin's bike and taking it for a spin must have been fun, yeah?" Snape walked back into the living room and sat down into a chair. He sipped on the iced tea that he had brought from the journey into the kitchen. Harry looked down to the floor.  
  
"I guess, sir-Snape."  
  
"What do you mean, guess so?"  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
"Oh, so you are unsure on how to feel about being bad? Just like your father, I would say," Harry looked up to Snape.  
  
"W-what? You knew my father?"  
  
"Yes, and I am sorry to say that I did. He and his friends made fun of me and played tricks on me, bunch of idiots," Harry narrowed his eyes slightly.  
  
"Well, I see why," Snape lowered his iced tea and glared back at Harry.  
  
"Yes, just like your father, you are. Rude, self-centered, spoiled-" Harry opened his mouth as he heard what Snape was saying. He started to walk out of the room but Snape placed his iced tea down and followed him.  
  
"What, can't handle the truth?" Harry stopped walking and turned around to face Snape.  
  
"How would you know the truth? I don't even know me? We just met!" Harry raised his hands and fiercely shook them in the air. Snape opened his mouth to say something but then closed it.  
  
"I guess you're right.I'm sorry."  
  
"It's okay, I guess I over reacted too. So, how did you know my dad?" Harry lowered his hands and followed Snape into the living room again. Snape sat down and motioned for Harry to sit too. He sat on a chair across from Snape.  
  
"Well, we went to the same school. The school that I so happened to work at for 14 years." Snape stopped abruptly which made Harry curious.  
  
"Well, is the school close by?" Conversation was always good to cheer up a person.  
  
"No, it is in another country.I think," Harry raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Do you still work there?" Snape turned his head slightly.  
  
"No, I was sent away because of a certain.change."  
  
"A change? What kind of change?" Harry leaned forward getting interested in this *change*.  
  
"Well, a person came back," Snape was speaking softly now and was staring at the floor as he talked.  
  
"Just a person? You were sent away from you job just because a person came back?" Snape's head jerked up from and he glared at Harry.  
  
"Yes, and it so happens he's a killer, thank you very much. Now excuse me, I need to go fill out some papers," Snape stood up and marched out of the room. Awhile later there was a sound as Snape slammed a door. Harry sat there motionless.  
  
"A.killer?"  
  
***~***  
  
  
  
Snape stayed in his room working the whole time. Harry came by it and knocked and asked if he could do anything but all Snape said was, "I don't care as long as you leave me alone,"  
  
Harry apologized for early but Snape gave no answer. Harry cursed slightly under his breath and stomped away.  
  
Harry decided that it was a nice day and it smelled too much of cats in the house (Mrs. Figg loved cats) so he went outside, closing the back door behind him.  
  
"I wonder who this killer is." Harry whispered to himself as he laid down on the spiky grass. He closed his eyes imagining a tall man in a large black cloak holding a knife. The mysterious man slithered closer and closer.  
  
Suddenly there were soft snores coming from Harry's chest.  
  
***~***  
  
  
  
Snape dabbed his quill into his bottle of ink and then continued to write his letter to Dumbledore. Just seeing Mr. Potter had made Severus jump quite a bit. Just at one look you would have sworn it was a younger James Potter, Harry's father, except those stunning green eyes Harry had inherited from his mother.  
  
Snape shook his head and continued with his letter. Dumbledore had told him that he was to contact him whenever he saw or heard news of Harry. In his letter he decided to inform Dumbledore about the bruise on Mr. Potter's face. He had learned from living with muggles you usually hurt your hands when you fell off of a bike. In this case, only Harry's face and back were bruised.  
  
Snape went again to dab his quill in the ink bottle but his eyes trailed up to the window. A small brown barn owl was flying towards him at an extremely fast speed. He got up from his chair and stepped back. The owl came hurtling onto his desk, dropping a letter it had in its beak. It screeched once and then without another sound, the owl left.  
  
Curious, Snape picked up the letter. He saw that it was clearly addressed to him for it didn't just state his name but his house address and his sleeping area. Turning it around he saw that the Hogwarts' crest was right above Dumbledore's seal. Snape opened it quickly, wondering why Dumbledore would send him mail in a hurry.  
  
  
  
Severus,  
  
I have just received word from the Ministry of Magic that Voldemort has been seen in your area. All that they found was a small note that was left in a dead victim's house. It had only four words written upon it that had been written in blood.  
  
THE BOY IS MINE  
  
You know what that means. Keep an extra eye out for him and make sure that when you are with him that he is always inside. And for the Dursley's, tell them to also keep an extra eye out. Just make sure that he is never alone. Never.  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
  
  
Snape placed down the letter and as fast as he could and then ran from his room. He jumped down the stairs and searched the house for Harry. When he had looked everywhere his eyes fell upon the back door.  
  
It was open.  
  
  
  
N/A: Oooh, was I that bad? Did old Voldemort actually get Harry? R/R! 


	2. Chapter 2

N/A: This chapter is about the reactions of the Dursleys as they find out something has happened to their house, the way Snape reacts to the disappearance of young Harry Potter, and the reaction as something surprising happens to Remus Lupin.  
  
Disclaimer: JK's works...not mine. I just thought of the stupid AU plot! ^.^  
  
Rating: PG-13 for right now...rating will stay where it is or maybe go up...  
  
Now...CHAPTER 2! ^_^  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Troubles with A Neighbor  
  
Chapter 2  
  
In a small restaurant next to the new cinema that the Dursley family had just been to, a waiter came to his table to drop off the appetizers (which was much more than three meals). The whale-sized son who went by the name of Dudley Dursley grabbed a plate full of fried cheese with his pudgy fingers, swallowing a few of the greasing sticks down in one gulp. The lard boy continued to do this until all of the plates were empty. Petunia Dursley got the waiter's attention once again to order some more mozzarella sticks, looking at her son proudly. The only response she got from her 'Duddilkins' was a piercing belch that got the whole restaurant's attention.  
  
The father laughed silently at his plump son, turning his attention to the small television that took a space in a corner. The typical news was playing, showing a burning house with some weird colored smoke above the wreckage. On the bottom of the screen were subtitles. Vernon started to read then to himself with interest.  
  
'Only thirty minutes ago, Privet Drive, number four, had been broken into and set on fire. Luckily, the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, weren't home to witness the burning of their house. It seems that the ones responsible for this crime have left the scene-' Vernon's jaw dropped as he gawked at the television screen. Petunia saw her husband's shocked expression and turned her own attention away from her son (finally) and towards the TV. She repeated Vernon's actions, adding in a high-pitched scream. Dudley jumped slightly from surprise, making the whole diner shake. A waiter walked over to the 'normal' family.  
  
"Madame? Is something wrong?" The long necked wife turned her head towards the confused waiter. She pointed at the small television that was in the restaurant, her face filled with horror. Her response made everyone there gasp.  
  
"That's my house!"  
  
***~***  
  
"Crap!" Snape rushed towards the ajar door and threw himself outside. The Slytherin scanned his backyard closely, hoping to see the young green- eyed Potter. His black beady eyes fell upon the great oak tree that took place in the corner of the fencing. Snape let his eyes concentrate on the old tree, noting to himself that there was a small piece of paper on the dark brown bark. Fear blinded the old Potion's Master as he sprinted over to the tree.  
  
Once Severus was within arm length, he grabbed the note that had been tacked to the oak with magic. He read the blood written writing with pure shock.  
  
Now I have what always should have been mine. I'll tame this young  
mage. Oh yes, you needn't worry about Harry...he is in very good  
hands. Well, at least better than that abusive muggle family the poor  
boy has been forced to live with.  
Now Severus, I see that you're doing well without me. Death is drawing  
near for you, betrayer. I'll make sure that your demise is by my  
hands.  
Your Master,  
Lord Voldemort  
  
"O-oh...my God...!" Severus turned around as fast as he could and he jogged inside of his house and darted through the front door. Frantically he searched the area, praying to Merlin that Voldemort hadn't gotten too far. He hustled down the street, not stopping until he was in a deserted area.  
  
Once he was sure that no one from miles could see him, the scared Slytherin disappeared without a trace.  
  
***~***  
  
"Oh James..." Remus was sitting in his rocking chair in his small house, sipping on a cup of tea. The tamed wolf was looking out the window, silently watching the rain hit the glass. Thunder boomed in the distance as a lighting strike struck not too far away. The rain poured harder as Remus took another sip from his cup.  
  
It was raining...  
  
Just like when James died.  
  
A sigh escaped the lone wolf as he stood up slowly, letting his chair rock endlessly. He put his china cup on his small little coffee table gently, walking out of the living room. He ventured into the bathroom with a look of anguish on his face. Whenever it rained, the wolf thought of his old friend, which always brought his spirits down. He thought of the same friend who saw past the werewolf inside of him and befriended Remus Lupin. The one person who always stood by him whenever he mutated into the monster he was and calmed him until the dreaded nightmare was over. The one...Remus sighed in bitter defeat. The memories of his dead friend were flying back to him. He just wanted them to all fade away from him so he forget the perfect past. The wolf was just simply tired sick of remembering the good days...those days when he had everything. The days when he had the world in the palm of his hand...  
  
The days before Voldemort killed James Potter.  
  
Remus looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror only to see his dead face. Great circles took place under his eyes...under his grayish-blue orbs that held a tint of purple. The wolf's eyes looked like they belonged in the eye of a storm yet something was missing. The sparks of lighting weren't there, making his orbs look as dead as his spirit. His gray hair fell over those lifeless eyes, piece by piece. His hair use to be taken care of but now the old wolf took no heed in its existence. The tangled mess reached down past the old Gryffindor's shoulders, making the one and only Remus Lupin look older than ever.  
  
"God, what a few years can do to you..." Remus mumbled to himself as he turned on the sink's faucet. He put his delicate hands under the cold water, wincing at the icy touch. He then slashed some of the chilly water on his face, gasping as it made contact. The wolf quickly turned off the water and walked out of the bathroom without looking back at himself again. When he was feet from entering the living room, he heard the rocking of his chair.  
  
"What the-?" Remus walked into the living room, staring at the spot his rocking chair sat. Stormy eyes grew wide as the wolf saw that someone else was sitting in his chair. With the very dim light in the room, Remus saw that his cup of tea had been finished by the housebreaker, now only shatters of broken glass on the ground. 'Must have broken it while the water was on-' Remus' thoughts were cut off as the mysterious person turned their head the wolf's way. The werewolf froze as he saw those two piercing red pits. He took a step back, preparing to get himself the hell out of there if he needed to...  
  
Lighting flashed outside, giving a little more light to the dark living room. The monster's face held a simple smirk as his crimson orbs were fixed on the frightened wolf. Yet also in that second of light, Remus saw a prone form on the ground beside his chair. Voldemort only continued to smile.  
  
"Hello, Remus Lupin." The sound of windows and doors locking throughout the house was heard by the lone wolf. Remus gaped at the serpent, eyes wide with fear.  
  
He was trapped.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
N/A: WOW! Thank you everyone for the wonderful reviews! Sorry this chapter took so long but I've been trying to think of a plot for this crazy story...now I have one! ^_^  
  
Now REVIEW! If I get enough reviews I'll post sooner! Promise! ^_~ 


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